Matt Hardwick, Public Policy Wonk

@matthardwick.bsky.social

2000 Followers 10873 Following

Salus populi lex suprema est. -- Cicero, De Legibus. #ActuallyAutistic All tweets not views of past or current employers. Concord & Union. he/him/el, cis

LinkedIn data settings, checked around 8:30-8:45 am; since switched to "off".
From "Horrible Histories", Jeet Heer, New Republic, 3/13/17: "This American authoritarianism, as befits a geographically dispersed society with a meager social security net, is less concerned with building up an all-encompassing state than its European counterparts. American authoritarians have rarely gone in for paramilitary movements, perhaps feeling that the local police and national guards can be relied on to enforce their agenda. And Trump’s promises of bringing back factory and mining jobs are much less extravagant than the Nazi agenda to build a strenuous and athletic master race. If Trump is a fascist, he’s a fascist befitting a nation of couch potatoes who want to be left alone, not to embody the Triumph of the Will."
March 32, 2025: Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado, unveils his official portrait in the state Capitol. From the Office of the Governor's press release: "To ensure the portrait reflects the Governor’s likeness to his satisfaction, the Governor and his office provided the artist the following criteria: "The Governor must be depicted directly facing the viewer "The Governor’s well-known signature look, specifically his signature blue polo, must not be altered "The portrait must utilize the bright blue hue of the Governor’s iconic tennis shoes "The Governor must be smiling or smizing "The portrait must include Colorado’s iconic state flag "The Colorado Capitol has seen a surge of visitors in recent weeks and with the new portrait is projected to see: "74% increase in visitors overall "10% increase in international visitors "16% increase in positive feedback on visitation experience "100% of readers and visitors fell for the Governor’s April Fool's Joke"
Official Statement President Gustavo Petro provides the presidential plane for the dignified return of Colombian nationals and will lead efforts at the Extraordinary Assembly of CELAC. Bogotá, January 26, 2025. The Government of Colombia confirms its participation in the Extraordinary Assembly of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), scheduled for January 30. This meeting will provide an opportunity to address strategic issues for the region, such as cooperation on migration, the protection of human rights, and the strengthening of relations among member countries. In preparation for this summit, discussions have been held with Honduras, the country currently holding the CELAC presidency, to promote a regional approach to migration challenges and ensure dignified conditions for the citizens of the region. At the same time, the Government of Colombia, under the leadership of President Gustavo Petro, has arranged for the presidential plane to facilitate the dignified return of nationals who are expected to arrive in the early morning hours on deportation flights. This measure reflects the Government’s commitment to ensuring dignified conditions. Under no circumstances have Colombians, as patriots and rightful citizens, been or will be banished from Colombian territory. Additionally, the Government has convened a Unified Command Post (PMU) on migration, which will include representatives from the Office of the Ombudsman, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Presidency of the Republic. The purpose of this space is to establish and review protocols that ensure the dignified treatment of deported Colombians, guaranteeing that procedures respect human rights and the integrity of each person.
The profile pic I've been using over at X
X Repost of Republican Senator Josh Hawley implying support for the Democratic Socialists of America through a repost that includes a DSA sign (at least when it comes to the UAW strike).
I love Starbucks tbh -- Elon Musk, who's always looking for ways to, ah, get more productivity out of his workers, actually being really honest on X/Twitter in a 9/20/23 post